Rotary internal-combustion engine.



No. 880,453. q PATENTED EER.v 25, 190s.

J. Eo-KANsoN.

ROTARY INTERNAL ooMEUsTloN ENGINE.

APPL TI N D ICA 0 FILE MAY? 1907 4BHEETB BHEET L W/TNESSES ATTORNEYS No. 880,453. PATENTED FEB. 25, 1908.

J. HOKANSON.

ROTARY INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

L APPLICATION PI ED MAY 7 1907 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2l I q E A from/frs Wh/WW. a

No. 880,453. v P'ATENTED PEB. 25, 1908.

' J. HOKANSON.

ROTARY INTERNAL GUMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. 1907. 4 SHEETB SHBET 3.

ArroNEys No. 880,453. PATENTED FEB. 25, 1908.

J. HOKANSON.

ROTARY INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLIUTION FILED MAY 7. 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ATTORNEYS ROTARY' INTERNAL-CUSTION' ENGINE'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25,4 1908.

Applicetionled May?. 1907. Serial No. 372,384.

To all whom it may concern:

-Bieitknown that I, JOHN HoKANsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark?, in the county of .Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new Vand Improved Rotary Internal-Combustion Engine,

ofwhich the following 4is a full, clear, and exact description. y

VThis invention relates to certain improvements in rotary internal combustion engines, and more particularly to .that type of engine in which a separate explosion chamber is provided into which the fuel chafge is compressed and -from which it is admitted into the annular cylinder to exp-and against the piston thereini upon the ignition of the char One object of the invention is to provide an improved construction, whereby the sliding abutment also constitutes a valve for controlling the admission of the gas to the annular cylinder, and whereby the operation of'this sliding abutment causes a simultaneous operation ofv a second valvecontrolling the admission of the explosive charge to the ignition chamber. Thus, the ignition chamber is normally out of communication with the' supply and in communication with the interior of the en ine, but the communication is established with the supply and is shut ofi from the engine at the time the piston is passing the sliding abutment.

A further ob'ect of the invention is to so construct thesfiding abutment that the lateral pressure exerted thereon at the time of the explosion serves vto moreefi'ectivel seal the joint between said abutment and t e rotatin piston. V

Ot er objects -ofthe invention will be hereinafter set forth, and the speciiioconstruction of one .embodiment of 'my inven-v tion described in detail.

The invention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts, all of which will be fully set forth hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference isfto be had to thef apompaidraw' s, ormi a arto t iss ec' izrfiion, inmvgvhich sinlfar iiharacters of preference indicate corres ending parts in all the figures, and inwhicllf. v

Figure 1y is an end elevation of an engine embody' my invention; Fi 2 is a viewl similar to ig) 1, the end plate eing removed and a portion of' the main casing being broken away; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3.-'-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a .transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an elevation showing the combined abutment and inlet valve; and Fig. 6 is an elevation showing the inlet valve for the ignition chamber.

In my improved engine there is provided a suitable casing formed preferably of cast metal, and rovided with an .annular chamber hereina ter referred to as the cylinder Within the casing is a rotary member carrying a piston traveling within the cylinder and caused to move by the ignition of an explosive mixture intermediate the piston and a sliding abutment. This slidingl abutment is also mounted upon the main frame or casing, and is provided with a passage whereby. an ignition chamber may be placed in communication with the cylinder. As illustrated, the main frame creasing 10 is provided with an annular chamber 11 constituting the cylinder and extending inwardly from one open side of the casing. casing within the annular member and formthe inner wall thereof, constitutes a cy indrical projection 12 of a depth somewhat less than the depth of the annular chamber 11, whereby when the chamber is closed by a face plate 13, a space is left for the piston-supporting wheel 14. This wheel is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to a main shaft 15 journaled in the face plate 13 and in the central projecting portion 12 of the casing, as is most clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The projection 12 forming the inner wall of the annular chamber or cylinder is preferably provided with' an` annular The portion of the recess 16 upon the outer side thereof, which recess serves for the reception of cooling water. The outer wall of the casing is close by a suitable plate 17 spaced from the casing save adjacent the edges of the plate, whereby water may be circulated in contact with ap roximately the entire wall of the casing.

ithin the' casing the annular chamber or j cylinder is of considerably greater width than is the space between the central projection 12 and the plate 13, whereby not only' the wall forming the end of the casing, but also the wall/forming the inner surface thereof, may be cooled. The\piston wheel 14 completely lls the space between the projection 12 and the face ate 13, and either the piston wheel or the wa ls adjacent the same are provided with packing rings to, prevent the 'escape' of the gases from the cylinder. As illustrated, the piston wheel 14 is provided The piston 20 carries a plurality of packing rings bearin against the walls of the cylinder. Two o 'these packings rings, 21 and 22, are oppositely disposed to each other and bear against the outer wall; a third packing ring 23 bears against the end wall of the casing.

At the upper portion of the casin and closely fitting therein, I providey a siding abutment 24 movable into and out of the annular chamber to sub-divide the same into two compartments. This abutment does not extend radially in respect to the annular chamber or cylinder, but is set at a slight angle thereto, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The abutment carries packings 25 upon opposite edges thereof, which engage with the walls of the casing, and carries a suitable packing 26 engaging with the projection 12 forming the inner wall of the cylinder. The abutment is provided with a recess 27 in one face thereof, said recess serving to form a passage by which the ignition chamber 28 in the upper portion of the casing may be placed in communication with the cylinder. The recess is upon the side of the abutment which is off center to the greatest extent, whereby the gas pressure after having been admitted to the cylinder through the passage in the abutment and while tending to force the abutment laterally, brings the end. of said abutment into more firm engagement with the wall of the cylinder andof the piston wheel 14.

The outer end of the abutment extends to the outside of the casing, and is connected to a link 29 serving to operate asecond valve 30 which controls the admission of the exploslve mixture to the ignition chamber'28. Thevalve 30 preferably comprises a sliding plate having a passage 31, through which the explosive mixture may pass from the supply c onduit 32 to the ignition chamber 28. 'Ihe hnk 29 is pivotally connected tothe upper v end of the valve plate 30' and to the upper end of the sliding abutment, and is mounted upon a suitable fulcrum 33 upon the upper end of the casing, whereby as the abutment 24 is moved outward the valve plate 30 is moved downward. The recess in the sliding abutment does not extend to the lower end thereof but terminates a short distance therefrom, whereby the lower endof the abutment serves to com' letely close the passage from the ignition c amber to the cylinder. When the abutment is in its outermost position, the valve 30 is moved to its inner position and the explosive mixture under pressure may pass into the chamber 28 while when the abutment is in its innermost position, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the valve plate 30 is in its outermost position, and the explosive mixture within the ignition chamber 28 may when ignited expand against the pistonl 2O to move the same. Any suitable means may be provided for igniting the mixture while in the ignition chamber 28 the specific means illustrated comprising a simple spark plug `34, although I preferably employ two such spark plugs which may either operate simultaneously, or one serve as a reserve in case either fails to operate. As the valve plate 30 and the abutment. 24 move in substantially parallel planes, it is evident that sliding connection must be made with the ends of the link 29, such sliding connection being preferably formed by slots within which the pivots may move.

For operating the abutment, I preferably provide mechanism connected to the main drive shaft 15, and so constructed as to hold the abutment in engagement with the piston wheel during the larger portion of the revolution of said wheel, but to move the abutment out of the cylinderand to permit the passage of the piston when said piston approaches the abutment. As illustrated, I provide the side of the abutment 24 opposite to the recess or passage 27, with a series of gear teeth 35, whereby the rear side of said abutment constitutes a rack bar. Adjacent this rack bar, I provide a short shaft 36 rotatably mounted within the walls of the casing and having a gear wheel rigidly secured thereto and intermeshing with the rack bar. `In the specific form illustrated, the shaft 36 cannot rotate through a complete revolution; therefore, it is only necessary to provide a curved segment 37 instead of a com lete gear wheel. For oscillatingthe shaft, l) 38 connected by a link 39 to mechanism operated by a cam 40 on the main drive shaft 15. This mechanism preferably comprises an annular member 41 surroundinge the shaft 15- and cam 40, and adapted to be raised and lowered by the rotatlon of said shaft and cam, the annular member being held from rotation therewith by an arm 42 mounted on a pivot bolt 43 at one side of the casing. The annular member is preferably cylindrical in form, except at one side thereof which is fiattened, the extent of the iiattened portion being dependent u on the degree to which it is necessary to e evate the abutment and the length of time which said abutment remains open. The flattened side of the annular member is at the top thereof and the secure thereto an arm esente cam remains stationary durin the major portion of each revolution of t e shaft and cam, but when the outer portion ofthe cam which has been traveling along the curved surface reaches the flattened portion, the

member is raised. and' the movement thus produced is imparted to the abutmentto raise the same out of the cylinder. For more securely holding the annular member in its. lowered position and to thus hold the abutment in engagement with the inner wall of the cylinder, l provide an outwardly Vextend- I ing lug 44 u on the annular member at the flattened si e thereof and having a curved outer surface. Integral with the member forming the lug 40, l'provide an arm 45 having an inwardly directed flange 46 adapted to engage with the outer surface of the projection 44 to normally prevent the annular member 41 from moving vertically. The

Aflange becomes disengaged from the pro jection just before the lug engages with the iiattened portion, thus liberatin the annular member and permitting it to e raised to raise the abutment.

ln the operation of my improved engine, a fuel charge is supplied under pressure through the conduit 32 to the ignition chamber 28 at the time that the valve plate 30 is lowered and the abutment raised. The lower yend of the abutment .closes the communication between the ignition chamber and the cylinder, .and the charge may bey forced into the ignition chamber at as great a pressure as may be desired. As soon as the piston reaches Vapproximately thel position indicated in Fig. 2, the cam 40 passes out of engagement with the flattened portion of the annular member 41, and the abutment `is lowered and the valve plate 30 raised to place the ignition chamber in open communication with the cylinderf At this time, the eX- plosive charge is ignited and the gases of combustion in pressing a ainst the'piston and the abutment, cause t e rotation of the former.

Adjacent the abutment and, upon the op-lV posits side from the ignition chamber 28 there is provided an exhaust conduit 47, which preferably remains open at all times. The as resulting from one explosion is force outward through the exhaust conduit by the piston upon the next succeeding revolution. The speed of the engine may be controlled by controlling the timing of the sparlr, l

the maximum speed being attained when the gas is ignited as soon as possible after the abutment returns into 'engagement with the inner wall of the cylinder. Any suitable form of timer may be empio ed for controlling the sparking, such timer eing preferably mounted upon a shaft 48 supported in a bracket 49 carriedby the main frame. This shaft is provided with a gear wheel 50 inter- 'and said explosion chamber.

meshin with a gear wheel ,51 upon the main shaft, t .e ear Wheels being 'of the same size, whereby t e shaft 48 and the main engine shaft 15 rotate at the same speed.

` lHaving thus desciibed my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters lPatent:

1. A rotary engine, having an annular chamber, a piston operating therein, an explosion chamber, means for supplying a fuel charge thereto, an igniter within said explosion chamber,I and a sliding abutment movable into said annular chambenand having a passage .therethrough establishm communication betweenY said annular c amber 2. A rotary engine, having 'an annular chamber, a piston operating therein, an eX- plosion chamber, an igniter mounted therein, and a sliding abutment movable into said annular chamber, said abutment having a recessfin one face thereof to permit the passage of gas from the explosion chamber into the annular chamber when the abutment is in its innermost one of two limiting positions.

'a' siding valve lcontrolling the admission of fuely charge -to said explosion chamber, and

means for simultaneously withdrawing said abutment from the working chamber and opening said sliding valve.

5. in a rotary'engine, the combination of a .casing having a curved working chamber, a

rotatable ,piston operating therein, a sliding abutment movable into said chamber an errplosion chamber, a slide valve controlling the admission of lfuel charge thereto, a link connecting said abutment and said slide valve whereby the slide valve is opened upo'n the withdrawal of the abutment, and means operatively connected to the engine for moving Asaid abutment.

, 6. `In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing having a curved working chamber, a main shaft, a piston carried thereby and movable within said workingchamber,- a slidin abutment movable into said chamber an carrying a series of teeth upon one side thereof, a `gear wheel in enga ement with said teeth, andmeans operative y connected to said shaft for oscillating said gear wheel to bring the abutment into and out of said. chamber.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination of a A casing having a curved working chamber, a shaft, a piston carried thereby and operating Within said chamber, a sliding abutment having a rack bar carried thereby, a gear Wheel in engagement With said rack bar, and means operatively connected to the shaft of the engine for oscillating said gear Wheel.

8. In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing having a curved Working chamber, a piston operating therein, a slidin abutment movably mounted in said cham er, an eX-A plosion chamber adjacent the Working chamber, said sliding abutment having a recess in one side thereof adapted to establish communication between said chambers when said abutment is in its innermost position, and a rack bar upon the opposite side of said abutment from said recess for operating the abutment.

9. In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing having a lcurved Working chamber, a piston movable therein, a sliding abutment extending into said Working chamber and having packings upon opposite sides thereof, a recess in one face thereof, and a rack bar upon the opposite face, said recess adapted to serve as an inlet passage to said chamber, and means in engagement with said rack bar for moving said abutment longitudinally.

10. In a rotary engine, the combination of a main shaft, a casing having a curved Working chamber, a piston operating therein, a sliding abutment having a rack bar carried thereby, a gear Wheel in engagement with said rack bar, a cam upon the main shaft of escasa the engine, and means operated by said cam for intermittently rotating said gear Wheel in opposite directions.

1'1. In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing having a'curved Working chamber, a piston operating therein, a main shaft, a sliding abutment and means operated by said shaft for intermittently moving Said abutment, said means comprising a cam carried by said main shaft, an annular member surrounding said cam and having a curved surface and a iiattened surface, a pivoted arm secured to said annular member and adapted to prevent the rotation thereof, a link connecting the said annular member and-operating means in engagement With said sliding abutment and adapted to be oscillated by said link. l

12. In a rotary engine the combination of a casing having a curved Working chamber, a piston operating-therein, a Imain shaft, a slid- `ing abutment and means operated by said shaft for intermittently moving said abutment, said means comprising a cam carried by said main shaft, an annular member surrounding said cam and adapted to be intermittently raised thereby, a locking means carried by said cam for normally .preventin the raising of said annular member, an means secured to said member and in engagement With said sliding abutment for intermittently raising the latter.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speciication in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN HGKANSON.

Witnesses1' CLAIR W. FAIRBANK, EVERARD B. MARSHALL. 

